SAN JOSE — Sharks coach Pete DeBoer believes internal competition for playing time is a coach’s best motivational tool, and he’s hoping a little push from below can reignite goalie Martin Jones’ game.

The Sharks sent goalie Alex Stalock to the AHL’s Barracuda on a conditioning assignment Sunday for the sole purpose of getting him some action, so he can find a rhythm after starting just six games in the first three months of the season. If the Sharks can get Stalock going, he could put some pressure on Jones, who is 5-8-1 with a .886 save percentage and a 2.72 goals-against average since he earned the NHL’s first star of the week honors on Nov. 23.

“I think, for sure, it’ll push Jonesy to be better if Al’s there and playing well,” DeBoer said.

While the Sharks are seeing more internal competition for ice time under DeBoer’s watch, Jones has had a vice grip on the No. 1 goalie position since general manager Doug Wilson traded the team’s 2016 first-round pick to acquire him in July.

Jones has started 31 of the Sharks’ 37 games, but he has struggled on home ice (4-9, .890, 2.94) and has played inconsistently over the last six weeks, which is why the Sharks’ goaltending numbers are almost exactly where they were at the end of last season.

After finishing the 2014-15 campaign ranked 24th in goals-against average (2.76) and 23rd in save percentage (.907), the Sharks flagged their goaltending as an area in need of improvement. They parted ways with Antti Niemi in the offseason, acquired Jones and saw immediate returns when the 25-year-old netminder set a franchise shutout streak record during the first week of the season.

But after 37 games, the Sharks are ranked 24th in goals-against average (2.86) and 26th in save percentage (. 899).

The team is hoping to get a spark from Stalock, who has looked rusty in his 10 appearances this season, posting a 2.97 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage.

“I think it’s the toughest job in hockey,” DeBoer said, referring to the backup goaltending position. “He does it as well as anyone the way he shows up every day at the rink, the energy and enthusiasm. The guys love him. But I want to be fair to him, too, that when we stick him in, we’re not sticking him in there without having played in three or four weeks.”

DeBoer pulled Jones after the second period of the Sharks’ 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, replacing him with Stalock, who hadn’t seen game action since Dec. 18.

By sending Stalock to the Barracuda, the Sharks are giving him an opportunity to find his groove before they throw him back into the fray with a heavier workload.

Stalock started for the Barracuda on Sunday and stopped 21 of 22 shots in a 5-1 win. The Barracuda are planning to give Stalock another start Wednesday when they host the Stockton Heat at the SAP Center, and then he will return to the Sharks for their game with the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

“That’s the plan, come down, get some games,” Stalock said after Sunday’s Barracuda game. “With the American League team here it’s good for this type of stuff. We’re at a point where we’ve got some days off, so why not come down and play some games, play 60 minutes start to finish.”

DeBoer said Stalock will see more action once he returns, as the Sharks face a heavy schedule in February and March and still have seven back-to-backs left on the slate.

“We’re going to need both guys,” DeBoer said. “Those are going to be key points that we’re going to need, and he’s going to have to be good.”

Tierney has struggled in his sophomore season in the NHL, posting a minus-12 rating while recording just eight points in 36 games.

“I thought he needed to take a step back,” DeBoer said. “Maybe get a little more confidence, maybe handle the puck a little bit more, maybe get his feet going a little bit more. He was in a little bit of a rut for me up here, and sometimes, you need to take a step back to take two steps forward.”

After opening the season with the Sharks last year, Tierney spent 26 games with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks in the middle of the winter, recording 24 points. When he returned to the Sharks in February, he was a different player, collecting 19 points in 29 games.

The Sharks are hoping for a similar turnaround this season.

So far, the plan is working. Tierney set up two goals with highlight reel passes in the Barracuda’s win Sunday.

“I just want to get a little confidence back,” Tierney said after the game. “It wasn’t where it needs to be and just try to find my legs again, and find where my game needs to be. Last year, that helped a lot going down and finding myself, so hopefully the same thing happens.”

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